One-beam, multi-person web interaction method

Abstract

This invention improves face-to-face communication between two PDA users. Data contained in a first of the two user's PDA is required to perform an interaction by the second PDA with the World Wide Web (the “web”). For example, the first PDA can contain a description of a product or service, and can beam that description to another PDA. The recipient PDA then has everything it needs to interact with the web. PDAs typically contain the facility to send an infrared beam containing data to another compatible PDA. The data in the first PDA can be maintained as a beamable object, and beamed multiple times to different PDAs.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for ordering a product or service using two PDAs, a second of which has the capability when connected to the web for interacting with a web site, and the first of which has the capability of passing data to the second, comprising: 
 storing a description of a product or service in a first PDA's memory;    passing the description from the first PDA to the second PDA, the second PDA having the capability to capture the description received from the first PDA;    whereby, when the second PDA is connected to the web, the order for the product or service is automatically placed using both the description received from the first PDA and the capability on the second PDA for interacting with a web site.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the data is passed from the first PDA to the second PDA using an infrared beam from the first PDA directed to an infrared receiver on the second PDA.  
     
     
         3 . A method for ordering a product or service using two PDAs, a second of which has the capability when connected to the web for interacting with a web site, and the first of which has the capability of passing data to the second, comprising: 
 passing data describing the product or service from a first PDA to a second PDA with consent of a user of the second PDA;    whereby the product or service is automatically ordered for an account contained in the second PDA whenever the second PDA is or becomes connected to the web, using the data describing the product or service received from the first PDA, and software which resides in the second PDA at the time a connection to the web takes place.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the data is passed from the second PDA to the first PDA using an infrared beam from the second PDA directed to a receiver on the first PDA.  
     
     
         5 . A method for ordering a product or service using two PDAs, comprising: 
 providing software to a second PDA that allows purchase of products or services from a vendor;    providing software for a first PDA that allows the PDA to pass information to the second PDA in a predetermined format describing the product or service, such information being required by a vendor of the product or service in order to purchase the product or service on the web;    whereby, when the second PDA is or becomes connected to the web, it can automatically place the order with the vendor using both the information provided by the first PDA and the software allowing purchase of products or services contained in the second PDA.    
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the data is passed from the first PDA to the second PDA using an infrared beam from the first PDA directed to a receiver on the second PDA.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the provided software allows one-click ordering and the order is placed by the second PDA using only one click.  
     
     
         8 . A method for conducting a transaction with a web site using two PDAs, a second of which contains software that allows the completion of the transaction with a web site after it receives certain other information necessary for the transaction from a first PDA, comprising: 
 providing the other information from a first PDA to the second PDA via a link between them set up with the consent of the users of both PDAs, the other information not already being present on the second PDA and being required by the web site, in addition to information already contained on the second PDA, to complete the transaction;    placing the order with the web site when the second PDA is or becomes connected to the web.    
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the data is passed from the first PDA to the second PDA using an infrared beam from the first PDA directed to a receiver on the second PDA.  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the software allows one-click ordering and the order is placed by the second PDA using only one click  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second PDA must confirm the transaction in order for the transaction to take place.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the confirmation takes place after logging onto the web.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8  wherein not only the data is passed from the first PDA, but also web-interaction software is passed by the first PDA to the second PDA.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the range of the beam is within a normal room and within line-of-sight.  
     
     
         15 . A method for conducting a transaction with a web site using a plurality of PDAs, at least two of which contain software that allows the completion of the transaction with a web site after they receive certain other information necessary for the transaction from a third PDA, comprising: 
 providing the other information from the third PDA to each of the two PDAs via a link between them set up with the consent of the users of all three PDAs, the other information not already being present on either of the two PDAs and being required by the web site, in addition to information already contained on each of the two PDAs, to complete the transaction.    
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the data is passed from the third PDA to the other PDAs using an infrared beam from the first PDA directed to a receiver on the other PDAs.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the not only the data is passed by the third PDA, but also required web-interaction software is passed by the third PDA.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the two PDAs must confirm the transaction before the transaction can take place.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the range of the beam is within a normal room and within line-of-sight.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15  wherein both PDAs receiving information from the third PDA individually place the order when they are or become connected to the web.  
     
     
         21 . A method for conducting a transaction with a web site using a plurality of PDAs, at least a first and second of which contain software that allows the completion of the transaction with a web site after they receive certain other information necessary for the transaction from a third PDA, comprising: 
 providing the other information from the third PDA to a second PDA via a link between them set up with the consent of the users of both PDAs, the other information not already being present on the second PDA and being required by the web site, in addition to information already contained on the second PDA, to complete the transaction;    providing the other information from the second PDA to a first PDA via a link between them set up with the consent of the users of both PDAs, the other information not already being present on the first PDA and being required by the web site, in addition to information already contained on the first PDA, to complete the transaction; and    the first and second PDAs separately completing the transaction when they are or become connected to the web.    
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21  wherein the data is passed from the third PDA to the second PDA, and from the second PDA to the first PDA using an infrared beam.